Aerostar S-81-A accident near Custer, South Dakota, August 8, 1995
On August 8, 1995 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Aerostar S-81-A (balloon), registered N9174Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Custer, South Dakota. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1995 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Custer, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar S-81-A
- Registration
- N9174Z · no longer on the register · serial 3001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing phase of a local sightseeing balloon flight, a sudden gust of wind forced the balloon across a road into trees, after which there was a hard landing. Twenty-five miles to the northeast of the accident site a weather observation 24 minutes after the accident reported a windshift and frontal passage.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,690 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1995; 50 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 12:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from RAP, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N9174Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.